The Price of Power
by Amatista
Summary: Chase Collins may have been vanquished, but he was never truly killed. Somewhere in the realm between life and death, he receives unexpected assistance from a specter of the past, and through his guidance, offers Chase a way back to the world of the living. However, what he fails to take into consideration is that there are always consequences to your actions. Always...
1. Prologue

_**AN: After a stroke of inspiration (thank you, Sebastian Stan), I am posting this prologue to see how readers will respond to it. At this time, my focus in on my Mercury Saga, but I do plan to revisit this story at a later time. Feel free to let me know what you think.**_

 _ **For Hedda.**_

* * *

The Power. It seared through him like the raging inferno he'd been thrown into, burning every cell, every nerve, a paralyzing torment like he'd never known before. Caleb had managed to call upon so much Power in mere moments, and the end result had thrown him into an endless abyss of agonizing darkness.

So this is what it is to die, Chase mused, the one terrible moment of clarity amid his tortured thoughts. The pain. The fear. The fire. All of it filling him until he felt as though he was about to burst into nothingness.

This is death, he repeated to himself. This will be the end of me…

And yet... there was still a small part of him that refused to admit defeat, no matter how dire his current circumstances. A whispering voice that had been ever present in his mind since a young age, even now telling him, _This is not the end_.

Not the end, he echoed. Not…the…

As he continued his slow descent into nothingness, he gathered what little strength he had left and reached—reached—stretching as far as his arm would go. Through the pain, he tried to focus his tumultuous thoughts on his desperate will to simply survive.

Family of old, he pleaded silently, help me find a way…

It was hard to say how much time passed as he drifted aimlessly through this hell. Minutes? Hours? Days? All he knew was that eventually, he could sense a pulling force, as if an invisible hand had grasped his wrist and was guiding him away from the fathomless abyss.

Guiding him where? He had no sense of direction in this darkness, could not see where he was going, and was so weak from pain that he couldn't fight it. All he could do was clench his teeth and follow where it led.

But how? He thought to himself. How had Caleb managed to summon such an incredible amount of Power so shortly after Ascending? What he'd felt not only rivaled what he'd acquired from his father, but fucking _surpassed_ it. Another must have willed him Power; he'd been nowhere near his equal when the battle began, and there was no other possible explanation for his defeat. So who'd been the one to sacrifice themselves for their precious friend? Reid? Tyler? Who?

And why did he feel the very distinct absence of Power from his own aura?

Damn him, Chase thought bitterly, the pain still coursing through him. Damn them all to hell…

He cried out when the hand tightened around his wrist, sending even more intense lines of fire shooting down his arm.

 _Silence, boy._

He was still groaning in discomfort, but he went still, angling his head. It was hard to say if the voice had been beside him or in his head, and for an instant, an undeniable sense of fear began to seize his heart. _Who…are you?_

 _Thou hast called; I came_ , was the cryptic response.

Despite the surrounding heat, the words caused the blood in his veins to freeze. _What?_

 _I came for thee_ , the voice—a man's voice—repeated, _as none other would_.

He couldn't place his finger on it, but something about the voice seemed so… _old_. Ancient. And though a great sense of warning flared deep within his chest…at the same time, he felt utterly compelled to listen. _Who are you?_

But the voice didn't respond. Instead, the grip on his wrist became firmer yet as the pulling force increased, accelerating them to a speed that had Chase's eyes squeezing shut and teeth clenching tightly. What the hell are you _doing_? He wanted to scream, but lacked the strength to do anything but try to brace himself against the disorienting velocity surging them through the dark. Was this all a trick? A demon sent to wickedly lull him into a sense of hope only to drag him back into the heart of the fire once more? Perhaps an act of vengeance from Pogue over the spell he'd cast upon Kate? He wouldn't receive any answers; that much he knew as they continued to hurtle through the suffocating black, resigning himself to the fact that this was likely be his fate for all eternity…

But then there was a definite shift in the atmosphere, and he couldn't hold back a gasp of shock when they nearly came to a full stop. His head was spinning from the sudden shift, and he had to fight back the urge to vomit. Fuck, he thought, still too paralyzed to even bring his free hand to his aching forehead. He'd almost rather endure the burning pain still rushing through him than be subjected to this.

Until he realized…that the darkness was no longer as all-encompassing as it once had been. Opening his eyes, his vision was horribly blurred, but he saw that it was still dark. It was a darkness he was used to, though: the dark of night itself. In a place he wasn't familiar with. He blinked, still trying to ease the churning in his stomach. _Where are we?_

 _Where thou needst to be at this time._

That answered absolutely none of his questions. _And where exactly is that?_

 _Fear not_ , the voice assured, bringing Chase's hand out and placing it upon something he couldn't quite discern. _The healing shall commence._

His brow furrowed. _What is this? What are you trying to do?_

 _Thine Power has nearly faded; it is the only way to restore thyself._

He was still confused, even as the burning pain in his palm began to dull. _What are you—_

 _Silence, boy_ , the voice hissed. _Concentrate!_

 _On what?_

 _Feel her heart; her spirit. Feel how strong they are together, and take that unto thyself._

Her? He snapped his eyes shut, shaking his head. _What are you talking about? Who is she?_

 _One who will help thee regain thine strength, and in turn, shall guarantee the survival of my line._

Chase's eyes slowly widened. Survival of…? Holy shit. It dawned on him that calling upon _family of old_ might have given him much more than he'd bargained for _. Are you_ -

 _I will teach thee my ways_ , he could almost feel the sinister smile in the words, and he wasn't sure whether he should be sickened or pleased at the notion of being mentored by none other than John Putnam. _Focus_.

Focus, he whispered in his own mind, closing his eyes. Focus. In truth, he wasn't sure how he could focus when his body still burned incessantly. But then something strange was happening that caused him to take pause. The heat beneath his palm: it was _warm_. Not the fiery pain attacking him from all sides, but a gentle warmth against his skin that had his brows twitching in surprise. The longer his hand remained where Putnam had laid it, the more that sensation seemed to creep slowly to his wrist, gradually banishing the pain from his nerves.

 _What's happening?_ He asked.

 _It has begun. Concentrate; do not let go. Let her heartbeat guide thee towards greater clarity._ Even as he said it, the invisible hand lifted from his own, allowing Chase to act of his own volition. _Thou hast Power in thee yet, boy; ne'er forget the resilience of thine legacy._

Yes, Chase thought. Yes! That was what he needed to hear. That his Power hadn't abandoned him completely, and that there was a chance to regain what he'd already lost. That alone gave him the incentive he needed to take a deep breath and center his thoughts on the comforting warmth spreading through the bones in his hand, and how much he wanted _that_ warmth to reach even further. The more he pictured this in his mind, the more he seemed to draw into himself, expelling burning sensation as it traveled up his entire arm, little by little. Take it, he told himself. Take what she has...

He opened his eyes, amazed to see that even the blurriness was decreasing, and he realized that he was suspended over someone's bed. Blinking rapidly, he was finally able to make out the unmistakable outline of a young woman laying beneath the white comforter, her breaths steady but shallow while his hand remained on her chest. It was obvious that his actions were having a tangible effect on her, further evident in the furrowing of her delicately arched brows. Somehow, he knew she wouldn't wake, even with him looming so close to her. He closed his eyes for a long moment and took a deep breath before he opened them again, the details of her face now sharply defined in the darkness of her room. Chase tilted his head in recognition. Hers was a face he'd seen traversing the crowded halls of Spenser Academy, her dark hair flowing behind her as she smiled and laughed with her friends. A junior, if memory served. He'd never spoken to her, but he vaguely recalled seeing her at swim practices as well.

As the pain continued to fade, his eyes narrowed. _Why her?_

He couldn't see Putnam, but heard his eerie chuckle in his mind. _Thou hast much to learn, young one, but in time, ye shall come to understand the depths of Power that few have ever known._

How enticing the words were to his ears, so much so that had he not been focusing solely on banishing the pain, Chase's lips would have curved into a wide grin. To be able to acquire such Power, a Power that even he and the other Sons of Ipswich had at best only heard rumored in myths and legends. But to be able to master it, perhaps even find a way to put a stopper on the accelerated aging process once and for all...

If this girl was going to be the key to all he wanted and more, then so be it.

Looking down at her with solid black eyes, Chase kept his focus on the feel of her under his palm as he continued to drain her life force. Slowly. Carefully. Feeling the gradual ebb of burning fire from his nerves as shaking breaths continued to pass through her lips.

 _Teach me_ , his mind whispered to Putnam. _Teach me how to use her. Teach me everything I need to know..._


	2. A Shadow is Cast

**_AN: Please be advised: this story will eventually deal with some very mature/adult content, so fair warning in advance. Thank you._**

* * *

 _~One month later~_

The shrill blast of the whistle pierced the air, the sound echoing off the high-tiled walls of the pool hall.

"Good job, ladies," Coach Riley announced as the most recent group of swimmers exited the pool. "Alright, heat five. Remmington, Howell, Johnson, Parker, Andries: line up!"

From his place along the sidelines of the pool, Tyler Simms crossed his arms, watching as the next group of girls stepped up to the mounting blocks in their matching navy blue swimsuits. Even though the boys' swim team had been dismissed fifteen minutes ago, none of them had actually left the pool hall. At Spenser Academy, there was an unspoken rule amongst the members of the boys' and girls' varsity teams: as a sign of respect, every swimmer stays until practice has ended for both teams. After all, it wasn't only the boys who'd earned spots in state finals the past few years. The girls representing their school were also genuinely good swimmers, and they deserved the recognition they deserved from all their teammates.

"...it's more addictive than I ever could have imagined," Caleb Danvers had been talking at his side ever since the girls' practice had started. "You can feel it; the Power surging inside you, pulsing through your veins all the time, _begging_ you to use. There's no way to stop it, and you can only ignore it for so long before you just…have to give in."

Tyler sighed audibly for the fifth time. As the youngest of the Sons of Ipswich, he seemed to be taking the brunt of Caleb's lectures lately. It wasn't that he was trying to ignore his friend, but ever since his Ascension in September, Caleb seemed hell-bent on making sure that the rest of them heard his cautionary tales over and over again. He'd always been like an elder brother to them— _old man_ , Tyler mused silently—but that particular role seemed to have been magnified ten-fold since coming into his new powers.

His eyes darted around while he reluctantly listened. Somewhere off to his left, Reid was chatting up two of the girls from the team, that trademark cocky grin of his, visible even from afar, working its own kind of magic on them. Pogue was noticeably absent from practice yet again, no doubt ditching to spend time—very intimate time—with Kate. Something about surviving the spells Chase had cast on them had caused a greater sense of attachment between them, and whenever they needed each other, they didn't let anything get in their ways. Good thing Pogue was such a good swimmer; Riley had yet to give him any kind of punishment for blowing off another practice so close to their next meet.

He and Reid would Ascend before year's end; Tyler wouldn't turn eighteen until March, which meant Caleb had more time to reiterate his warnings to him. Tyler understood that he was simply trying to forewarn him before his own powers matured, but _Jesus_ , he didn't need to hear about it every God damned day.

"You hearing me, Ty?"

"Yeah, Caleb," he answered evenly. "Every single time."

"Hey," he pressed, giving him a stern look, "I only tell you this for your own good."

"I know," Tyler kept his voice low, running a hand through his dark hair. "You're looking out for me. For all of us; I get it. But do you really have to do it here?" He held out a hand to indicate the pool area.

Caleb's brow furrowed as he looked at him. "I'm not trying to make things hard on you; you know that."

He huffed out a breath, leaning back against the wall behind him. "Yeah, I know."

Caleb released a slow breath, running a hand over the back of his neck. "It's just harder to deal with than I anticipated. And it's not just _me_ it's affecting."

Tyler gave him a sympathetic look. He wasn't only referring to his brothers-in-witchcraft with that statement. It wasn't lost on any of them that he and Sarah had been on the outs as of late, and it was obvious that it was taking more of a toll on him than he wanted to admit. She was having a hard time dealing with the fact that he was already becoming addicted to his Power, and Caleb had to fight himself every day to keep the urges under control. Not just for him, but for Sarah's sake. Someone he was practically already in love with.

Tyler wouldn't lie; it sucked seeing him hurt like that. "I know, man," he said quietly, his eyes lowering slightly. "I know."

He could see Caleb give him a sideways glance from the corner of his eye. "You seem a lot quieter than usual. Anything I need to know about?"

"Alright, heat six!" Riley called. "Callahan, Murphy, Meyers, Nettles: line up!"

At that announcement from Riley, Tyler lifted his head, one of those names in particular catching his attention. His eyes instantly honed in on the swimmer stepping up to the block for lane three, and even with her swim cap and goggles on, he'd be able to pick Lily Callahan out of any crowd. It didn't escape his attention, though, that she didn't even bother to glance in his direction.

At his side, Caleb seemed to know where his attention had suddenly drifted. He sighed knowingly. "She still not talking to you?"

"Swimmer's take your marks...!" Riley's whistle blew, and Lily and the other three girls instantly dove into the water, emerging only seconds later to begin their breast-stroke.

Tyler shook his head. "No. Won't take any of my calls, either, and I think she's just deleting my texts whenever I send them." It bothered him more than he was willing to admit out loud. A junior at Spenser, Lily Callahan was intelligent, beautiful, and one of the most talented swimmers on the girls' team. It was no wonder he'd felt so inclined to ask her to the Fall Fest dance last month. Unfortunately, that little incident with Chase threatening their lives had led to him and Reid promising to look after Sarah that night...and, like an idiot, he'd neglected to call Lily and explain to her why he wouldn't be going to the dance with her after all. Justifiably, she felt she'd been stood up. There had just been so much danger going on between him and his friends that week that it had truly slipped his mind. However, that was hardly a reasonable excuse—especially for Lily—a fact that she'd made painfully clear to him.

"Do you want me to talk to her, man? Maybe it would help if I—"

But Tyler was already shaking his head. "Reid tried; she didn't want to hear any of it."

"It was a life or death situation, and you were doing me a huge favor. She needs to understand that."

Tyler looked at him. "If Sarah thought you'd stood her up like that, you think she'd be willing to talk to you afterwards?"

Caleb pursed his lips, the ensuing pause giving Tyler the answer he'd expected.

"Callahan, pick up the pace!" Riley bellowed, causing Tyler's head to snap around. "I will not have you half-assing it any longer!"

Tyler's brow furrowed. Damn it, not again...

In the pool, Lily was lagging far behind her other teammates, and anyone who was watching could see that she was definitely struggling.

"Come on, Lily," Tyler hissed through clenched teeth. Despite a promising start during today's warm-up, she was barely keeping up with the third-place holder. It was a shock to see this happening to her yet again. Lily had transferred to Spenser on a swimming scholarship, and had always been one of the strongest swimmers he'd ever known. Over the past month, though, something had been causing her performance in the pool to falter, and as a result, she was finishing poorly compared to the rest of her team.

"Let's go, Callahan! We have three weeks until Parkwood; don't expect me to let you compete if you can't keep up!"

He wished he could have decked Riley for that one. Everyone could _see_ that she was giving it everything she had, and that alone was admirable. It wasn't so much her ability as a swimmer that had Tyler feeling uneasy, though; it was _why_ this was occurring to her all of a sudden that had him walking right up to the edge of the pool, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

"Come on, Lily," he said, a little louder this time, "come on..."

His voice was drowned out by the clapping and cries of encouragement from many of her other teammates. Soon enough, Caleb came up right beside him, traces of his Power making his concern almost palpable as he watched on. Even Reid, who apparently became distracted from the girls he was talking to, came to stand next to his best friend. Of all people, he knew how much Lily meant to him, and Tyler quietly appreciated his gesture.

From where he stood, Tyler could see the distress marking her features as she struggled to keep pushing herself through water. Don't give up, he silently pleaded to her. You can do it.

It was the longest ten seconds of his life before Lily's hand finally touched the wall of the pool, and as soon as she lifted her head from the water, he could hear her gasping breaths as she clung to the pool's edge, clearly exhausted from the efforts of her swim. Riley knelt by her, asking questions Tyler couldn't discern from afar, the man's previous frustration appearing to have abated for the time being. Lily shook her head, and Riley offered his hand to help her out.

"Again?" Reid asked succinctly.

Tyler gave him a sideways glance, but could see by the look on his face that there was no malicious intent behind his inquiry. Shaking his head, he released a sigh, seeing Lily pull off her goggles before wrapping a towel around herself, then taking a seat on one of the benches. "I don't get it. She always starts out just fine, but somehow completely over-exerts herself as soon as she starts anything that resembles competition. It's not like her at all."

"This has been happening, what? Since sometime after Fall Fest, right?" Reid asked. Tyler nodded. "Think she could be intentionally sabotaging herself so she can get out of swimming?"

He looked at Reid. "She's here on a swimming scholarship; why would she do that?"

He half-shrugged. "As dumb as it would be, it could be a way to distance herself even more from you."

His jaw tightened, but he didn't object to Reid's hypothesis. As much as wanted to adamantly deny it, maybe he had a point. If she lost her scholarship, then that would mean Lily would have to leave Spenser. Would have to leave Ipswich and return home to Michigan. That would certainly put some distance between them, but maybe...maybe that was what she wanted...

"I don't think that's the case, Reid." They both looked at Caleb, who crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to observe Lily from across the pool, his brow deeply furrowed. "Something more might going on with her that we're just not seeing..."

When he trailed off, Tyler blinked, concern flickering in his chest. "What are you thinking, Caleb?"

He gave his head a shake. "Not what I'm thinking, but what I've been _sensing_ at every practice we've had lately."

With his new Power, he finished the thought for himself. "And what exactly are you sensing?"

He sighed. "Nothing that I can't put my finger on yet, but I have a feeling her performances have not been intentional on her part."

"Think there's some foul play going on?" Reid offered, lifting an eyebrow.

Riley's whistle blew again, signaling the start of the heat for the next group of swimmers. Turning to his friends, Caleb said, "I think for now, we just need to keep a close eye on her whenever we can."

Tyler frowned. "A lot easier said than done, I'm afraid."

"I know," he clapped a hand on his shoulder, "but if she means anything to you, Baby Boy, you'll find a way."

He rolled his eyes at the nickname, but at the same time gave a fleeting half-smile. He'd always be the youngest of their coven; that was his curse, and he accepted it.

Glancing across the pool, he saw Lily leaning back against the tiled wall, watching her teammates forlornly as they practiced for their upcoming meet without her.

 _...if she means anything to you..._

She does, his mind whispered in reply. She does.

"Want me to try talking to her again?" Reid offered.

"No, man," Tyler shook his head. No. If there was going to be any further talking with her, then he wanted to be the one to do it himself.

* * *

Lily stood under the steady spray of water, her hands firmly grasping the back of her neck. She'd long since washed away any traces of chlorine from her body, but couldn't bring herself to leave the shower just yet. Eyes closed, she felt the warmth of the water flowing smoothly over her skin, letting it wrap her in its warmth and soothing the muscles that were surprisingly sore, considering her short time in the pool today. Then again...the fact that the same thing had been happening so often the past few weeks...

Damn it, she cursed to herself. Once again, practice had been an utter disaster, and it only seemed to be getting worse each day. She'd tried appealing to Coach Riley to let her swim her stroke one more time, but he wouldn't hear it. He wasn't convinced that she was well enough to compete, and so she'd been benched for the remainder of practice. Again. God, she hated this; swimming had always been such a crucial part of her life, and to feel like she was failing at something she loved was frustrating her beyond belief. She couldn't understand why this was still happening to her. Doctors had given her a clean bill of health, as well as a structured diet to follow, but were otherwise baffled as to a root cause behind her ailment. So then why? Why was she becoming exhausted at the most inopportune moments? Why was it making her feel weak when she needed her energy the most?

Why was she feeling less and less like herself with each passing day?

With a sigh, she reached down to cut the spray of the shower nozzle, wiping the water out of her eyes before retrieving her towel from the nearby support-bar. Drying off and wrapping it around herself, Lily exited the showers, relieved to see that only a few of her teammates still remained, chatting amongst themselves while changing into their after-school clothes. Good; that's what she'd hoped for. As much as she appreciated her friends' concerns, she was hardly in the mood to answer the same barrage of questions all over again.

While she changed at her locker, her brows knit when she caught site of yet another bruise on her leg, this one a vibrant purple compared to the fading yellow of the other three. She sighed, lightly running a fingertip over the sore mark. After every practice, this was happening, and if one healed, another one seemed to crop up to take its place. This was no doubt due to the fatigue her body was experiencing, and with a shake of her head, she pulled her jeans up over her hips so she would stop looking at them.

"Burned yourself out long before your time, huh, Callahan?"

She spun around at the voice of Renee Meyers, one of the senior girls on her team. Her arms were crossed as she leaned against the locker next to hers, her green eyes narrowed at her. "Guess Riley's finally starting to see that you're not the golden child he thought you were."

Almost instantly, Lily gave a sigh of bored annoyance, and proceeded to button her blouse over her camisole. Ever since transferring to Spenser last year, Renee had been less than discreet about her displeasure at Lily making the varsity team as a sophomore. But more than that, she knew she was jealous of her because they both swam breast-stroke, and until recently, Lily had been the better swimmer of the two. "What do you want, Renee?"

She didn't have to look at her to know she was glaring at her. "The meet with Parkwood is in three weeks, and if we lose because of you, it'll cost us a chance at quarterfinals this year. You're never going to hear the end of it."

Great. Another empty threat. She slipped her silver bracelet back on her wrist. "Is that all?"

From the corner of her eye, she could see Renee uncross her arms, and if she had to guess, those slender hands of hers were clenched tightly into fists. It was hard to say where it suddenly came from, but the barest trace of amusement touched one corner of her mouth. "Trust me: it'll be no skin off my ass to see you get kicked out of Spenser if you blow your scholarship. Probably got it by screwing one of the school's sponsors, anyway."

Lily paused, her fingers tightening on the locker door. Shut up, she thought.

"And judging by the bruises we've seen on your legs, those little rumors about you screwing the boys at Weston must not be too far off."

Shut _up._..

"I bet you're doing it to get back at Tyler for blowing you off-" "

Slamming the door shut, Lily turned on her, her face burning with anger as she all but screamed, _"Get_ out _of my face, you stuck-up bitch!"_

"Hey!" Another girl called out—Alyssa Nox, senior captain of the girl's swim team—her dark bob of hair appearing around their set of lockers. "What are you doing?" She said pointedly to Renee.

Renee, looking coolly at Alyssa, pushed her straw-colored hair over one shoulder. "Whatever's going on with her must be really making her really touchy about—"

"Save it, Renee," Alyssa cut her off sharply, coming to stand beside Lily. "I heard what you had to say as I was coming in, and I'm sure Coach Riley will have a few choice words with you when I tell him what happened."

Lily's nostrils flared. Oh boy; Coach Riley had a zero-tolerance policy when it came to bullying on his teams. He'd bench her for sure at this next meet.

It was Renee's turn to go red with restrained fury. "You wouldn't."

"Yeah, I would. And I will."

"Alyssa—!"

Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "I'm captain; it's my job to keep the team together. And after hearing how cruel you just were to your one of your own teammates, I'm sure we'll get along just fine without you at Parkwood."

Wow. Apparently, being a fellow senior hardly gave her the immunity she'd expected.

Renee scowled at her, then directed it at Lily one last time. "Don't expect Tyler Simms and his friends to come to your rescue when you need it most." Then her face twisted into a mocking smirk—as if she'd gotten her with a real zinger that time—and Renee stormed from the locker room, intentionally bumping Lily's shoulder on her way out.

Alyssa waited until she was gone before she turned back to Lily, and Lily had to blink at the unexpected pride in her eyes. "Look at you growing a whole new set of cojones," she grinned. A moment later, though, she frowned. "You okay?"

It took her a moment to realize she'd been holding her breath, and Lily let it out slowly through her lips, letting her shoulder sag against the lockers beside her. The confrontation had taken more out of her than she would have ever anticipated, and the image of Tyler's face lingered in her thoughts long after Renee had first mentioned his name to her. She hated that she'd brought him up to her like that. How dare she. Thinking of him caused a mixture of humiliation and hurt to flood her heart all over again, although she couldn't deny the mild thrill she still felt following her inspired outburst...

"Lily?"

She gave her head a shake, raising a hand. "I'm fine. I just..." She hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Don't listen to her," Alyssa said. "One: she has a big mouth, and two: _you_ have a witness. I highly doubt she'll do anything to make herself look like an even bigger asshole."

At that, Lily finally managed a weak laugh.

Alyssa gave her shoulder a pat. "Finish up and go back to your dorm, Junior; you should get some rest. We'll do a few light laps at practice tomorrow, see if that helps at all, okay?"

Lily nodded. The fact that she didn't prod her with questions made her feel a bit more at ease. Just further proof of how good a person Alyssa was. "Thanks."

With one last reassuring smile, Alyssa turned and walked away, leaving Lily alone in the locker. In the ensuing quiet.

Alone at last.

Exhaling heavily, she retrieved her hairbrush from her gym bag, taking a seat on one of the aisle benches and started combing through her long, dark hair, still damp from the shower. In the quiet of the room, her mind automatically drifted back to what had just taken place only minutes ago. The way she'd spoken to Renee when she made that hideous insinuation. She'd heard plenty of whispered rumors from the others, many speculating on what was possibly effecting her ability to swim lately. Drugs; partying after curfew; dealing with some kind of eating disorder. All lies, of course, but…it didn't make hearing them any less insulting, any less painful to endure.

Especially when they started to speculate about whether she was having sex with boys from rival academies. She paused her brush mid-stroke, thinking of Tyler yet again. It made her heart ache to think about him: his smile, his dark hair, those impossibly gorgeous blue eyes that had her captivated from the very first day she'd run into him. But Christ, even if she'd _hated_ him, she'd never be so cruel as to sleep with someone just to get revenge. Her mind didn't work that way, and it just wasn't in her nature.

Of course, becoming so enraged that she practically screamed in someone's face was also far from her nature. And yet, she'd done it. Her brow furrowed at the thought.

I've...never spoken to _anyone_ like that, she whispered to herself.

 _Felt good, didn't it?_

A gasp tore from her throat and she dropped her brush, her body going completely rigid as soon as the words had entered her thoughts. Then she heard someone's faint, dark laughter echoing through her mind.

Her eyes were wide, chest rising and falling a little heavier with every breath. That _voice_ …It wasn't the first time she'd heard it whispering inside her head…but what really chilled her was the fact that the voice was clearly not her own. One she didn't know at all. Part of her was tempted to search the locker room to see if someone was playing a mean-spirited prank on her, but deep down, she knew she'd find no one.

Why...do I keep hearing that?

It scared her. Made her start to tremble uncontrollably, and she brought a shaking hand to her forehead. Taking a deep breath in through her nose, she let it out through her mouth. In, and out. In, and out. One, two.

Easy, she told herself, recognizing her own voice this time. At least that was a small comfort. Get a grip on yourself; you have to get it together if you going to through this. You're okay. You're going to be okay…

She only wished she could make herself believe that.

Shouldering her bag a few minutes later, Lily finally made her way out of the locker room, trying to distract herself by making a mental checklist of the assignments she needed to complete that night. Chem test first period; I put those flashcards on my bookshelf, she reminded herself. Should get those out and go over them. Need to read the next thirty pages of _Wuthering Heights_ for tomorrow, too. Don't worry; you have time. Just make sure you remember to take a break so you can get dinner this time—

As she exited through the open doorway, she cried out in surprise when she bumped right into someone, whose strong hands gripped her arms to steady her. Looking up, her lips parted slightly on a gasp as she locked eyes with none other than Tyler Simms himself. She stared. For a moment, the world around her seemed to come to a stop, those blue eyes of his captivating her all over again. He'd already changed into his casual-wear, and Lily couldn't stop herself from scanning his appearance. That handsome face with those chiseled features; the thickness his eyebrows, one of his more prominent features; that green cargo jacket he was so fond of wearing; and she couldn't be sure, but she thought she detected a faint hint of Irish Spring emitting from his skin. It had been weeks since she'd spoken more than five words to him—or been in such close proximity to him—and being so close to him now suddenly had her heart pounding a little bit faster.

"Tyler," she said almost breathlessly, "w-what are you…"

"Waiting for you."

She stared at him, blinked slowly. The memory of the hurt he'd caused her was still there, still itching at the back of her mind…but at the same time, she couldn't deny that the grasp he had on her arms made her feel more at ease than she had in quite some time. "Why?"

"Because I want to talk to you," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "I want to explain what happened at Fall Fest that night."

She blinked again. Yes, the feel of his hands on her was comforting, but the instant he mentioned the dance, a sudden wave of fatigue seemed to wash over her, and she shook her head with a sigh. "I don't…I can't talk about this right now," she began to pull from his grasp.

"Wait," his grip tightened on her, though not enough to cause her discomfort. "I really want a chance to talk to you about this. You need to hear it from me."

"You hurt me," she asserted, her voice quiet, yet firm.

His eyes saddened slightly, and he sighed, letting his hands slip away. "I know," he said, sighed, "and I'm sorry. But what you don't understand is that there was a reason why I couldn't be there that night. Will you just let me—"

"Tyler," she cut him off, bringing a hand to her rub at her forehead. With all that had occurred in the past two hours—on top of everything she was still trying to cope with physically and mentally—there was far too mach already weighing heavily on her mind, and she could feel herself starting to sway slightly on her feet. Tyler's brow furrowed in concern, and that only served to affirm that she couldn't deal with this right now. The last thing she wanted was to drag him into her problems, especially when she was still trying to get over the humiliation she'd felt at his hands. "I don't…I'm really not up for this right now, okay? I'm—I'm not feeling all that great. And I've got homework to do, so please, just..." She didn't bother finishing, just started to walk away.

"Lily—"

"I need to rest."

"Lily, _please_ ," he moved in front of her quickly, blocking her path and gripping her arms again.

His hands; they were so warm. Her breath shuddered on an exhale, and she kept her eyes cast downward so she wouldn't be drawn into his piercing gaze again.

"Lily," he repeated, softer this time. Almost pleading. "I'm worried about you. Please."

God, his voice. The way it seemed to rub against her ears like velvet. She missed talking to him in AP Lit class; that was for damn sure. Missed talking to him in general.

And yet...

 _He ditched you for his friends, remember? Don't forget that._

She huffed out a harsh breath. Clenching her teeth, she lifted her head to lock eyes with him again, trying to ignore the way the intensity in them seemed to bore straight into her. "I don't think I can talk to you yet."

"Lily, come on. I swear, if you just—"

"I have to go," she said more abruptly than she meant to, as she pulled out of his arms, but she didn't relent. "I need…need to go rest."

"Can I call you?"

"I need to rest…"

And with that, he made no further attempt to stop her as she walked away, feeling the warmth of his hands leaving her skin. Part of her was relieved, feeling too drained to continue this conversation with him...but at the same time, she couldn't ignore the way she yearned for his closeness again.

No, she told herself. No.

She didn't have to look back to know he was watching her until she walked out the heavy doors of the pool hall.


	3. Mind Games

Chase smirked to himself. He loved fucking with her head. Couldn't get enough of the swarm of confusion clouding her mind every time he pressed his thoughts into hers. Even now, she was having difficulty concentrating on the book in her hands, and she finally gave up, slamming the cover shut with a soft curse.

Hearing her swear made his grin widen. Good riddance; he hated _Wuthering Heights_ , anyway.

Hovering unseen by her bedside, Chase watched as Lily set the book aside, swinging her legs over the edge of the mattress. With a great sigh, she let her head drop into her hands, frustration wafting through her like a warm wind.

He chuckled inwardly. Toying with her psyche had become a great source of amusement for him. Hell, something had to amuse him, given his current circumstances. It had been well over a month since he'd first grafted onto her life-force in order to restore his Power, an act that had—in a cruel twist of irony—left him completely bound to this girl. Tethered to her spirit. Dependent on her and her alone for the strength he craved, needed. His ability to influence limited only to her when he could conjure the will to do so.

It was a side-effect Putnam had failed to make known to him, and he wondered if that had been his intent from the very beginning.

Lily murmured softly in her throat, recapturing his attention. Pushing her hair back from her face, she stood and crossed over to her dresser, unbuttoning her blouse along the way. Ever so slowly, a smile crept across his lips. Chase had watched her undress countless times, but he couldn't deny how much he actually enjoyed this part of his unwilling attachment to her. Even now, his eyes became hooded as he saw her slide the blouse down her arms, leaving her only in her thin camisole.

He subconsciously pulled in a discreet breath through his nostrils. There were definitely worse individuals he could have been bound to, and he had yet to be disappointed by what she had to offer him visually. At seventeen, it was clear to see why Lily Callahan turned the heads of most of the boys at school. While there was no shortage of attractive girls at Spenser Academy, something about Lily was quite different. Her beauty was softer. Effortless, and though he'd done so many times, he couldn't resist the urge to scan her appearance from head to toe once more. Her long, flowing hair was a rich shade of brown, framing a sweet face with fair skin. The darkness of her hair accented a pair of bright blue eyes, which seemed to glow any time she smiled. A smile on lips so naturally pink that she hardly ever needed lipstick to enhance them. Reaching around to tie her hair back into a ponytail, the evidence of her swimmer's physique hardly escaped Chase's notice. Broad shoulders and arms that were well-defined from years of dedicated practice; the long line of her torso, typically an advantageous trait amongst the best of swimmers; and, as she pulled the camisole over her head, leaving her standing there in only her bra and jeans, he caught sight of the way her body tapered down to her slender waist and flat abdomen. Oh yes; this girl was built for swimming, and that only added to her appeal as Chase loomed ever closer to her.

Once her hair was tied back, her hands reached around to unclasp her bra.

 _Slowly,_ he thought to her, not missing the slight hesitation in her movements after he'd whispered the word to her.

Her delicate brows furrowed, but then she was continuing her movements just as he'd requested, slowly unclasping the bra with her fingers, then sliding the straps down her shoulders just as carefully.

 _That's right_ , he encouraged, angling his head to get better view. _Just like that_.

Chase took in the sight of her as she bared her breasts, raking his teeth over his bottom lip. No; he'd certainly never tire of seeing that. Her breasts weren't overly large, but suited her lithe figure, and if his sense of touch were intact, he had a feeling that if he cupped them, they'd fit perfectly in his palms.

 _If only_ , he grinned again, bringing his fingers to just barely graze over her shoulder. He knew it would produce nothing more than a chilled sensation, verified by the involuntary shiver that suddenly traveled up Lily's spine, and the subsequent tightening of her rosy nipples in response. Eyes closed, he saw her draw in a breath, then release a trembling exhale through her lips as she drew her arms over herself. When she opened her eyes again, she turned her head in his direction, those uncertain blue orbs scanning the far wall of her dorm, prompting him to give another chuckle.

 _Search all you want, lovely,_ he taunted, floating above her head. _You'll never find me_.

For a long moment, she didn't move. Just stood there, staring. Searching. But soon enough, he could sense how foolish she felt, and saw her shake her head as she opened the top drawer of her dresser. Pulling out a t-shirt and shorts—her usual sleepwear—she quickly pulled the top down over her head, much to his disappointment.

 _You know how to ruin a good thing_ , he thought, though watched raptly as she removed her jeans from her shapely legs. Once she'd pulled on her shorts, she made her way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Chase, who was never far behind, floated easily through the door. Once he saw Lily on the other side, his curiosity got the better of him, and he pushed himself into her thoughts.

* * *

Lily splashed one more handful of water onto her face, rinsing away the last remnants of her facial cleanser as she held her damp face in her hands.

Tyler, she thought, releasing a sigh. His face still hadn't left her mind. Amazing how such a brief encounter could have such a tremendous impact on her, but God, the way he'd smelled…and the deep sound of his voice…and how those gorgeous eyes had searched hers…

There was no way her mind could focus on her studies any longer. She'd just have to finish reading that chapter in her book first thing tomorrow morning.

Lifting her eyes to the mirror, she paused, stunned by what she saw. Jesus, she thought, unable to look away from her reflection. She looked _tired_. So much paler than usual, and the dark circles beneath her eyes made her appear as though she hadn't slept in days. At times, that was exactly how she felt.

She brought a hand to touch one of those heavy circles. I look like absolute crap, her mind whispered. Worn out. Old. For a teenager, she actually looked _old_ , and that frightened her. It didn't seem to matter how much sleep she got at night, or how easy she took it during the day. The incessant fatigue hung over her like a constant fog, and there didn't seem to be any way to shake it.

But why? How in hell is this _still_ happening to me?

 _I'm worried about you_ , Tyler's words returned to her. _Please…_

She sighed, her fingers curling over the edge of the porcelain sink. So am I. Regardless of what had happened, it was nice to know that he did still worry…

After drying her face and brushing her teeth, she made her way back into her dorm, pretending to take inventory of everything she needed to take to class tomorrow. Her backpack; several pens, since she preferred writing in ink as opposed to pencil lead; at least one mechanical pencil so she could take her chemistry test; her copy of _Wuthering Heights_ ; an extra water bottle to sip on throughout the day…

But try as she might, she could hardly stop her mind from drifting back to thoughts about Tyler. Back to memories of last month, and to the circumstances that had led to the rift between them. She hesitated, then unzipped a smaller pocket at the front of her backpack, pulling out a carefully folded piece of paper. One she'd not let herself read in weeks. Setting the bag on the floor, she unfolded the page, letting her eyes absorb the words scrawled in Tyler's penmanship, memorizing them all over again. It was the poem he'd written her back in September—the one he'd given her when he asked her to be his date to Fall Fest—and as she re-read the last line, it still caused her breath to catch:

"… _the leaves' hues may fade from gold,_

 _but in the light of your smile, there shall never be cold."_

She exhaled slowly. He certainly had a way with written words, a testament to his fondness for his English classes. Lily remembered the way her heart had fluttered back then, just as it was fluttering beneath her chest now, and the way she'd smiled up at him when he posed his question to her. She'd been thrilled at the notion of being his date, something she'd secretly dreamed of since last year, and not just because of whom he was in the eyes of the Spenser-elite. She genuinely liked Tyler, and had secretly hoped that this date would lead to something more than just the friendship they'd established. How excited she'd been as she waited for him to pick her up from her dorm that night. And waited. And waited. For an hour and a half, she waited. Sitting there in the pink dress she'd picked out for the occasion. No phone call, no nothing. Even when she tried calling him, it kept going straight to voicemail, and there was no way she could stop the tears that ran silently down her cheeks.

Her first date with Tyler, and she'd been stood up.

Pushing the hurt aside, she summoned every ounce of courage she had to go to the dance anyway, where she sought comfort within her circle of friends. While there, though, her eyes never stopped searching for any sign of Tyler, not even when other guys approached and asked her to dance. Sometime later, she finally spotted him: standing just outside the main entrance to the gymnasium as he talked with Reid, as well as Caleb Danvers' girlfriend, Sarah. Hanging out with his friends instead of escorting her to the dance, and completely oblivious to her presence inside. She'd been ready to yell at him, to slap him across the face, to make him feel the kind of pain that was still causing her heart to sting…There was none of that. As soon as the clock struck eleven, Lily had had enough, slipping out a side door and making her way back to the dorms. No one else needed to see her cry.

She stared at the paper in her hands, re-reading his poem yet again. As upset as she had been with him for choosing his friends over her…she couldn't deny how much she still liked him. Tyler had tried getting in touch with her the next day, but by then, she'd been too angry to speak to him, let alone listen to his apologies if he happened to catch her in the halls. She thought perhaps if she cooled off after a few days, she'd be ready to listen to what he had to say.

But it wasn't long after that that she'd begun exhibiting signs of physical exhaustion, which became progressively worse in the weeks that followed. It scared her, and deep down, she had to wonder if it had anything to do with her falling-out with Tyler. Adding to her distress was the notion something in her mind seemed to be telling her to keep her distance from him, that same voice that didn't seem like hers telling her she needed to avoid him for her own good.

But if that really was the case…then why did his mere presence seem to calm her when she bumped into him today? Why did having him so close to her seem to temporarily clear the haze in her mind? Why did his touch make her feel so much stronger than she had in days?

She gave a long, audible sigh, gently clutching the poem to her chest as she lay back onto her bed. She wouldn't lie: she wished things had gone differently between them earlier that day, and in truth, she wasn't entirely sure _why_ she being so short with him. Something inside just kept compelling her to…

Heaving out another breath, Lily turned on her side, reaching down to return the poem to its safe place in the pocket of her backpack. The red digital numbers on her nightstand clock read 10:02p.m. Normally, she'd turn out the light closer to eleven, but considering the fatigue that was washing over her yet again, she opted to switch it off now. Laying her head upon her pillow, she let the darkness consume her senses, her mind drifting back to thoughts of Tyler, and how she would have rather seen things happen today.

* * *

Well, well, well, Chase mused, tilting his head as he floated overhead. What an interesting turn her thoughts had suddenly taken, revealing her deepest desires when images of Tyler Simms entered her mind. Not just memories of their ill-fated conversation from earlier, but fantasies about him cupping her face in his hands, his eyes boring into hers as he bent down and pressed his lips to hers, stopping all words between them as he kissed her sweetly.

 _Why, Lily_ , he smirked, sensing the longing in her heart. _Pining for what he's never given you, are we? What a shame to waste your energy on him. Then again, maybe he knows he's not man enough to give you what you need._

He saw her shift beneath her comforter so that she lay fully on her back. But the image in her head remained.

He stared. The first time he'd ever detected her romantic feelings towards Tyler, he'd nearly laughed his damn fool head off. Of all people he could have possibly latched onto, it ended up being this girl, one who was unknowingly keeping him connected to the other Sons of Ipswich. Quite the unexpected twist of fate, but one he might eventually be able to use to his advantage. How fitting: toying first with the eldest member of the coven, and now the youngest.

In truth, out of all the Sons, Tyler had been the least of his concerns when he first transferred to Spenser. Though gifted with Power, birth order always dictated who would garner the most strength within the covens, and his abilities weren't nearly as strong as Caleb's. As such, Chase had hardly perceived the younger man as a threat, but now everything had changed. While he remained confined to this existence, all of the Ipswich boys were stronger than he, and he lacked the strength to challenge any of them. For now, anyway.

This was why he often steered Lily away from the boys, away from Tyler in particular. The less she interacted with them, the less likely they would be to pick up on his presence, especially during instances when he would use his Power on her in public. He was already acutely aware that Caleb could sense something out of the ordinary during swim practices, which was why he had to make sure to act with discretion.

With Tyler, it was obvious that he had a vested interest in the girl, and that was a danger to Chase. The instant he sensed any kind of a threat against her, he knew the Sons would take immediate action in order to protect her. He couldn't risk detection long before he had a chance to restore his Power. No; for the time being, he'd have to remind Lily of the hurt that Tyler's carelessness had caused her, amplify the anger she'd tried to forget in the days since the dance and keep as much space between them as possible. There was little she could do to fight against his influence, and at times, he rather enjoyed being able to manipulate her. He had to wonder how much that ability to sway would be affected as he continued to replenish his strength.

He could sense the very moment that Lily entered a state of deep sleep. The last shreds of conscious thought lingered in her mind, and as she dreamed, he caught a glimpse of her still being held tightly in Tyler's embrace.

Chase narrowed his eyes, all amusement fading from his thoughts. _Enough_ , something inside him whispered, but he tried to dismiss it as nothing more than irritation. That was perhaps the most important reason of all for keeping Lily away from him: while it was simple to bend her mind to his will, there was something about Tyler's presence that seemed to interrupt his hold on her, made her more able to resist him…the temporary clarity allowing her think for herself, only to lose it all again once he regained his grasp on her. It was an interesting effect, but one he couldn't let happen, not while he was still going through the process of healing himself.

Speaking of which…

Smiling darkly, Chase descended from the ceiling until he hovered just over Lily, bringing a hand to rest upon her chest. She stirred briefly, most likely from the sudden chill she felt, but then became still again. When he was certain she had settled, he felt his eyes morph to black as Power came alive in his fingertips, an overwhelming desire to use seizing his senses. Just as he'd done every night since he'd first latched onto her, he concentrated on the steady beat of her heart, focusing on what he needed to take from her, and soon enough, he began to feel gentle warmth expanding beneath his palm.

 _Yes_ , his mind hissed approvingly, his eyes falling half-closed as he waited for the sensation spread. Repairing his weakened form by draining her life-force had been a slow, tedious process at best, but very gradually, he'd been achieving the results Putnam had promised him when this all began. The worst of the pain had long ago faded, and each time he pulled her essence into himself, he could feel the strength surging through his veins.

 _Yes_ , he repeated, sighing deeply, opening his eyes to look at her again. _Give me what I need._

Trembling breaths passed through Lily's parted lips, her chest rising and falling a bit faster with his hand on her. At times, it was more satisfying to drain her while she slept as opposed to while she was conscious. Latching onto her as she swam was a good strategy, as he was able to absorb a greater amount of energy from her in one shot. But having her at his mercy like this—listening to her breathe like that—was truly intoxicating, and his smile widened as he continued to watch her face.

Strange, he thought, the smile fading a touch. Something about this was…different. Unlike every other time he'd taken from her, this was somehow _better_. Her heartbeat felt stronger than usual, pulsing out a higher amount of energy than what he'd come to expect each night, and consequently, the warmth was traveling up his arm at an even faster rate. Strength flowing through him in waves, spreading rapidly throughout his spectral form, and he reveled in the rejuvenation it was offering, regardless of how minimal it still was for the time being—

 _No…_

Chase's eyes widened, his concentration faltering slightly as he looked down at Lily. For once, it had not been his own voice in his head. Furrowing his brow, he continued to stare at her, seeing the strain that was marking her features as her head rolled to one side.

 _Who are you?_

Her voice was so far away. Weak. As far as he could tell, she was still asleep, but it was the first time she'd ever attempted to communicate with him through his thoughts. He blinked. How? How had she garnered enough strength to break through to him like that?

Who are you, she had asked, and Chase's curiosity flared again as he peered inside her mind, needing to know just how much she was seeing in her dreams. He found Lily there, trapped in darkness while someone had her wrapped in their strong arms from behind, a hand pressed to her chest just as his own was. To his relief, the figure holding her didn't have any discernible features: just a blank face as it continued to hold her hostage in its embrace, the effects of what was happening to her in real life translating into her subconscious. Helpless. She looked so helpless in those unyielding arms, hardly able to fight what was happening to her. She just let it happen. However, through the tangle of fear and confusion plaguing her heart, one last whispered word managed to reach his ears.

 _Tyler…_

Pulling back from her thoughts, Chase's black eyes watched her intently, his suspicions now raised after that last glimpse into her mind. Something had occurred to make her strong enough to pull from his hypnotic hold, to reach out to him, and he had to wonder if Tyler's interference from that afternoon had anything to do with it.

His upper lip quivered. _Tell me what it is, Putnam_. He never received an answer, though, nor did he expect one. Putnam hadn't returned since the night he'd first pulled him out of that strange Purgatory, and Chase quickly realized that there was a great deal he'd have to figure out on his own. If that was the case, so be it.

Lily's chest shuddered beneath his palm, and Chase continued to hold onto her. _We will learn, won't we, lovely?_ He thought, letting his other hand brush coldly against her cheek.

* * *

On the outskirts of Ipswich, Power was permeating the atmosphere of the Danvers Estate, calling out to Caleb yet again in his sleep, but it was not enough to wake him. As such, he was unaware of the mild tingles prickling in his fingertips; did not recognize the thin sheen of sweat covering his skin.

Had he been awake, he might have deduced that his Power had been trying to warn him of a looming threat.


	4. Unanswered Questions

He stared. From across the circular lecture hall, Tyler watched as Lily engaged in conversation with the girl sitting next to her, hardly paying attention to his own groupmates' arguments about certain aspects of symbolism in _Wuthering Heights_. Normally, he would have leapt at the chance to partner up with her during open discussion in their AP Lit class, but he'd refrained from doing so for the past few weeks. She needed her space from him, and he would honor the unspoken request to do just that. Didn't stop him from watching her from afar any chance he could get, though, especially after their brief conversation yesterday.

Might not have gone the way he'd hoped, but it was better than nothing. The fact that she'd talked to him at all—and the way she'd _looked_ at him—it had at least instilled an inkling of hope in him that this would lead to something better.

Look at me, Lily, his mind pleaded. He could have easily bewitched her to look at him, but the thought had never even crossed his mind. Anything she wanted in regards to him would be done of her own volition, not because he forced her into doing so. Just look at me, please…

Beside her, he saw her friend, Chelsea, lean over to whisper into Lily's ear. She hesitated, but then with a visible sigh, she slowly lifted her eyes to lock with his from across the room. He drew in a breath. Yes, he thought. Even from so far away, he could see every detail of her sweet face, and even detected the slight flush of color rising to her cheeks, though wasn't sure if that was out of shyness, or anger. But all too soon, the moment between them was broken when she looked back down at her notebook and continued taking her notes, and Tyler couldn't help but feel mildly disappointed. Still, she had at least spared him a glance…

"I don't know why you even bother with her," a hushed voice said from the seat to his left. "I mean, she's been a pretty cold bitch to you for the past month."

Tyler didn't even turn to look at Renee, who was one of his groupmates today. He was more than aware of her of her disdain for Lily, and chose not to buy into her caustic little remarks about the one girl he'd fallen for long ago. "Hardly your concern," he said shortly, keeping his voice low.

"Uh, she's actually a big concern for us all, Tyler," Renee snidely replied, a little less discreetly than he.

That, of course, caught the attentions of their other three groupmates, and from the corner of his eye, he could see their heads turn, their voices becoming slightly more hushed so they could listen in on their conversation. Great.

"She's going to cost us state's this year, you know."

"No, I don't know that," he finally looked over at her, "and neither do you."

"Oh, come on, everyone feels the same wa—"

"No, they don't," he interrupted. "I've talked to a lot of our teammates, Renee, and that's nothing more than a gross exaggeration on your part." Ignoring the scowl she was giving him, he looked over at Lily again, who was still deep in discussion with Chelsea. "Give it a rest."

As if on cue, Lily lifted her head to look at him again, and Tyler felt his heart skip a beat.

"Five more minutes, people," Mr. Gibbs gave the class his last warning before the bell was set to ring, "and your topic for tonight's journal entry is on the board."

Breaking eye contact again, Lily copied down the assignment, and Tyler opened his own notebook to the next clean page to do the same.

He felt Renee's eyes on him the entire time. "You shouldn't be wasting all your energy on a junior, Ty. You should focus on someone your own age."

Arching an eyebrow, he looked at her. "She _is_ my own age; you're the one who's a year older than me."

At that, two of their groupmates snickered, and Renee's cheeks flushed a faint shade of red. She opened her mouth to say something else, but Tyler was already writing down the rest of the journal prompt, and she apparently gave up on forming any kind of retort. For that, he was silently grateful. He knew Renee had harbored some sort of a crush on him for the past few years, which would have only contributed to her dislike of Lily. But while she was certainly attractive enough with her blonde hair and long legs, she gave off an aura of self-entitlement and superiority that immediately turned him off, and his abhorrence with her was only heightened by some of the mean-spirited things he'd heard her say to those she deemed beneath her.

Not to mention what Alyssa had told him had taken place in the girl's locker room yesterday.

The bell rang, and he was amazed at how quickly the past five minutes had flown by. Looking up, he saw Lily just as she'd finished packing her backpack and zipping it shut, smiling at something Chelsea had said to her. The two girls were still lost in conversation as they descended a few steps and became surrounded by several other students filing towards the exit.

Tyler wasted no time shoving his books into his leather bag, practically leaping from his seat as he cut down the aisle and followed the rest of his classmates to the door. Weaving past a few of them, he managed to catch up with Lily and Chelsea, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Lily, wait—"

The instant his hand touched her, Lily spun around, her crystalline eyes wide as they locked with his. Tyler froze, time seeming to slow to a crawl all around them, his hand never leaving her as he held her gaze. He didn't care that others were staring at them, or the incessant whispers from those gossiping amongst themselves. They didn't matter to him; his focus was on Lily. Her face was laced with signs of fatigue, but her eyes…God, they were beautiful. Looking into them now, it was as though he could sense her deepest, most guarded thoughts hiding beneath those pools of blue. Not just the astonishment and the uncertainty he'd expected to find when she looked at him…but also the sense of _longing_ that became very apparent to him. A yearning that he could actually _feel_ , and the longer they gazed at one another, the more intense that feeling became.

Power? He wondered to himself, but tried to dismiss it. Still, the prickling sensation itching gently in the back of his mind told him he couldn't entirely ignore the possibility of its existence in this moment. Something telling him that he needed to maintain a connection with this girl, regardless of whether he understood it or not. Needed to see her, to hold onto her, to protect her in any way he possibly could.

Not entirely sure what else to say, he settled on, "Please." A plea to her. He didn't care if others heard; all he cared about was her reaction. "Please talk to me."

She blinked, and when she started to softly reply, Tyler felt his heart swell with anticipation. That is, until Lily's brow furrowed slightly, her words ceasing as she let a shaking breath passed through her lips. Reflexively, his fingers tightened on her shoulder, the concern in his chest flaring all over again. Closing her eyes, she sighed, half-heartedly shaking her head as she averted her gaze. At the same time, that prickling seemed to grow stronger in his mind, even if only by the barest degree. What is this? He wondered. Why am I sensing this? What does it mean?

Opening her eyes, Lily turned back to him, and though he could see her steeling herself once more, he suddenly felt his heart clench. Her eyes weren't hard at all; they were sad. Shimmering with a sorrow he hadn't been able to see until now. That hit him harder than he ever would have expected.

"Not…now," she managed to stammer, her eyes still holding his. "I have to go. Class." Pausing just a moment longer, she finally turned on her heel, and Tyler let his fingertips slip from her shoulder. Chelsea, who had a mildly worried look on her face, started to question her quietly as soon as they began walking away.

Tyler sighed heavily through his nose. Lily didn't even glance back in his direction.

Then someone appeared from the corner of his eye; he didn't have to look to know it was Reid.

"So?" He asked.

The inquiry wasn't an unexpected one. Not only was his friend aware that this was the only class he and Lily shared, but he'd also filled him in on their interlude from last night. Tyler shifted the weight of his bag further onto his shoulder. "Something's not right," he said adamantly.

Despite the lack of details, Reid seemed to take his words seriously. "Think there's some merit to what Caleb had to say?"

He pursed his lips. "I hate saying I'm not entirely sure, but…" He turned to face him at last. "I have a feeling he's been sensing Power whenever something happens to her, and he's just not ready to admit it to himself yet."

Reid, who was still looking in the direction Lily had gone, crossed his arms over his chest. His tie was a bit looser than it was supposed to be according to school dress code, but he'd hardly ever been one to care about such trivial rules. He did, however, emit an aura of concern as he stood by Tyler's side, even though he would never voice such things aloud. Reid angled his head towards him. "Don't give up on her, man. If what you're saying about Power being used against her is true, then she could be in some real danger."

"I know," Tyler said, his eyes drifting back down the hall, catching one last glimpse of Lily's dark hair before she disappeared around a distant corner. "And I don't intend to." Even without Reid's insistent words, he'd already come to that decision. Regardless of how long it took, he had to find a way to get her to talk to him again.

* * *

Lily's eyes had drifted over to the window some time ago, her textbook long forgotten as she watched the rain fall outside. Study hall in the library was her last period of the day, but when she could hardly concentrate, she found temporary escape in moments like this. Listening to the hypnotic pelting of droplets hitting the roof; seeing rainwater flow down the glass in jagged rivulets.

Seems like it's always raining here, she mused, though couldn't quite bring herself to smile. Ever since she'd come to Ipswich, the rain had been a constant part of the forecast, which shouldn't have been all that surprising considering how close to the east coast she was. Still, she would have expected it more if she'd gone someplace like Seattle, not New England. Not that she had anything against the weather, of course; she was just looking for an excuse to keep her thoughts occupied. Tried to redirect them to more pressing matters at hand.

But try as she might, they inevitably returned to Tyler once more. She sighed softly. The way he'd looked at her all through class had been enough to keep her heart racing for the entire fifty-minutes of the period, and even more so when he'd caught up to her afterwards. And the instant his hand touched her shoulder…She chewed on her lower lip. There was no denying the warmth she'd felt from the contact he'd initiated, the subtle hint of strength seeping into her veins just like the last time he'd touched her. Making her want to feel _more_ from him. She'd wanted to talk to him right then and there, had things she wanted to say in return, that she was ready to say—

But God damn that doubting voice inside her head! She firmly tapped the eraser of her pencil twice upon the table, not caring if anyone at the surrounding tables happened to hear. It didn't matter how badly she wanted to talk to Tyler; for some reason, she still managed to convince herself that staying away was her best option.

If that was the case, though, then why did she disagree with it so fervently? Why did she still feel like something was wrong every time she heard it speaking to her?

 _He'll hurt you._

Lily sucked in a short breath, the pencil slipping from her fingers and clattering to the tabletop.

 _He's already hurt you once; what makes you think he won't do it again?_

Sighing heavily, Lily brought a hand to rub at her forehead. Then why don't I believe in that? She challenged, and thankfully, there was no contradicting reply. This period needed to end; she obviously wasn't going to get anything done at this rate, and she just wanted to hit the pool and de-stress as much as her body would allow her.

But then the distinct feeling of being watched had her brow furrowing, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on-end. What was more unnerving was the fact that this wasn't the first time she'd felt such a sensation, and when she lifted her head, it didn't shock her when she locked eyes with Caleb Danvers on the far side of the library. His hooded brown eyes were riveted on her, and even from across the room, she could feel them boring into her. It made her feel very, very small.

She swallowed, wanting to avert her gaze, but finding herself unable to do so. She'd caught him watching her several times lately, and not once did he try to be inconspicuous about it. If she saw him, he didn't seem to care. Between this and Reid's previous interferences, she was more than aware that Tyler's friends were trying to get her to talk to him, which she'd actually expected to encounter from the other Sons.

But something about the way Caleb stared at her made her feel uneasy. Cold. Sending chills down her spine as if…as if in warning. It was odd, though. She'd never had any issues with Caleb before. In truth, he'd always been kind to her whenever they talked, especially after he'd introduced her to Tyler at one of their practices, so she'd always held a certain degree of affinity for the elder boy. Over the past few weeks, however, a strange apprehension seemed to seize her heart every time she merely looked in his general direction. Much like her unexplainable fatigue, she was at a loss as to where this coming from. Caleb had never been a threat to her; why would she consider him one now? Was it because she knew he'd be protective of Tyler first and foremost? And if that was the case, would he honestly do anything to potentially harm her?

Regardless of her incessant questions, though, it never stopped her from meeting his eyes, and every time she did, it was as if he was seeing right into her.

She blinked slowly. What is it you want? She wondered to him silently. What?

 _Away_ , the voice pushed into her thoughts. _Now_.

Before she could question herself any further, the bell for dismissal finally rang, and Lily blinked to break the visual trance Caleb's eyes seemed to have on her. Standing next to her chair, she began packing her materials into her backpack, knowing without having to look that Caleb was still watching her. It was only when a tall figure came into her peripheral vision that she paused, looking up just in time to see Pogue Parry's long, dark-blonde hair framing his model-esque profile as he passed by. Lily watched him make his way over to Caleb, who stood and draped the strap of his Louis Vuitton messenger bag over his shoulder. Once Pogue had made it over to him, she saw the two exchange words, and then Caleb turned his head to lock eyes with her once more, as did Pogue.

Jesus…it was almost as if she could feel the burning intensity from the looks they were both giving her…

 _Go_.

Feeling her stomach drop, Lily huffed out a breath and hoisted her bag onto her shoulders, trying to ignore the fact that her chest suddenly felt so cold. Without another glance at Caleb or Pogue, she quickly made her way out of the library, letting herself get lost in the crowd of students filing out of the double doors of the building. She bit down on her lip, though, knowing she couldn't avoid seeing all the Sons of Ipswich at swim practice in less than an hour.

* * *

"So they really found nothing?" Lily asked into the receiver of her cell phone.

"That's what he said," her mother, Dee Callahan, sighed from the other end after giving her Dr. Ballinger's prognosis. "He ran the tests five separate times, but they all came back the same: negative. No anemia, no nothing. Dr. Jones said the same thing this morning, so at least we got the second opinion that we needed. They also said you passed your annual physical with flying colors, so no trouble on that front. According to them, you're an incredibly healthy teenager, and they've found nothing physically wrong with you."

Lily drew in a breath, releasing it in a slow exhale as she leaned back against her headboard. While she should have been relieved that her blood work had, once again, revealed nothing out of the ordinary, part of her couldn't help but feel extremely disappointed. This was the third series of tests she'd undergone since September, and yet there was still no explanation for her erratic instances of exhaustion. At the very least, she'd hoped they'd be able to put their finger on something. Anything. Regardless of how miniscule it was.

"Lily?" Her mother pressed. "Don't go silent on me now. Lily?"

"Yeah; here," she said quietly.

"Look, sweetheart, I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but it's still very good news. "

It should have been reassuring to hear, but it only caused tears of frustration to sting behind her eyes. "But it also doesn't answer anything," she said, trying to conceal the bare tremble in her voice. "I'm not just making this all up in my head."

"I know," her mother assured, "and I'm not saying that you are."

"Then _what_ , Mom?" She almost started crying, but brought a hand to her forehead in an attempt to calm herself. It wasn't only frustration over a lack of answers that was tearing her heart in two; it was the simple fact that it was so hard to endure these issues when her mother was hundreds of miles away. It helped to talk to her on the phone every week, and having her grandparents live only a few towns over from Ipswich at least provided a connection to her family. However, that paled in comparison to being held in the very arms that had comforted her since the day she was born. If Lily wanted this scholarship, though, then that was the sacrifice they both needed to make. As a single mother, she couldn't just uproot and move to Massachusetts while she had a steady job in Michigan, not so long as had a child to take care of. As upset as she might get on some days, Lily could not help but love and admire her mother for having that kind of strength. She'd given up great deal in order for her to have a good life.

"Lily?"

She didn't speak for a full minute, but then Lily took a couple of long, careful breaths until the burning heat in her chest began to subside. "I just…wish you were here," she nearly whispered.

"I wish I was, too, sweetheart."

"Mom…what's _wrong_ with me?"

She could hear her sigh into the receiver, a sound of concern she knew well. "I don't know. But we're not going to give up on this yet. If the doctors are saying there's nothing wrong with you physically, well…then maybe it's time for us to try venturing down a different avenue."

Sniffing quietly, Lily wiped away the lone tear that did escape. "What are you thinking?"

"That maybe we ought to examine if it's a neurological issue."

Her hand tightened around her phone. Neurological. Of the brain. One of the scenarios she dreaded most as her prognoses continued to yield no results. "Neurological?"

"It's a thought. Maybe an MRI would be able to detect something that wouldn't have been revealed in blood tests, something that could give all of us a more concrete idea as to what's going on. It's worth a shot, don't you think?"

Closing her eyes, she released a shaky sigh. "Mom…um, do you think I'm—"

"No, you're _not_ crazy, Lily," she interjected, the firmness in her tone silencing her. "I've had enough long talks with your coach to know that this is not just all in your head. There are days when I can hear it in your voice, too, and I constantly worry about you as a result. If you truly think something is wrong, then I believe you without a second thought."

While it didn't banish all her uncertainties, hearing that brought at least some relief to her troubled heart. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're my daughter, Lily Ariadne; you're always going to come first in my life, and don't you ever forget that."

Though her mother wouldn't see it, Lily managed a faint smile. Her mother was the only one who called her by her middle name as a term of endearment, and it warmed her to hear her say it yet again. Her mother had always been fond of Greek myths, her favorite being the love story between Theseus and Ariadne, and Lily rather liked her given name.

"Just to cover our bases, let's make an appointment for an MRI to put our minds at ease. There most likely won't be anything new to report when we get the results back, but I want us to be absolutely sure. What do you say?"

She gave another slow sigh, but then softly told her, "Okay."

"Good. Dr. Ballinger might be able give us a referral for a neurologist in that area. If he can, I'll make sure to clear my schedule so I can be there with you."

At that, she wiped away another errant tear. "Um, do you know yet if you'll be able to make it out for our next meet?"

"I'm hoping to make that happen. Still waiting for approval on my time off, but I don't intend to miss it for the world."

That made Lily's smile widen. It would be nice to see her mother there, cheering her on with the rest of her schoolmates.

"Just promise me you'll focus on taking care of yourself up until then. I know how much you love swimming, but I'm your fussy ol' mother, and when it comes to matters regarding your health, safety and welfare—"

"I know," she assured, not waiting for her to finish, "and I will."

"That's my girl." Then her mother paused. "By the way, have you talked to Tyler at all lately?"

The inquiry caused her stomach to drop, her smile to fade. "No…" She frowned. Okay, so that wasn't entirely true. "A-a few words, but…"

"Hmm," she commented. "Has he still been trying to reach out to you?"

She closed her eyes again, feeling warmth flow into her heart when his face entered her mind. "Yeah." Almost every day, she silently elaborated, sighing gently through her nostrils. And don't pretend that you don't want to talk to him just as badly…

"Hmm," she murmured again. "You know, it may be about time to take your heel out of his back, Lily."

Her eyes flew open, surprised at her suggestion. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that maybe it's time to give him a break. What he did to you was inconsiderate, I agree, and you have every right to be upset with him. But from what you've told me, he's been regretting his actions ever since, and maybe it's time for you to listen to his side of the story. It might not resolve things between you two, but at the very least, it might give you some closure if you give him a chance to explain himself. You always used to sound so happy whenever you talked about him."

Blinking slowly, Lily let her mother's words gradually sink in. Hear his side, she repeated to herself. Was she ready for that? Actually, was she ever really against the idea in the first place? He'd apologized to her a dozen times—she'd heard him, even if she was walking away at the time—and though she'd wanted to hear him out at each instance, that damned _voice_ would interfere…

Her mind wandered to thoughts of that afternoon's swim practice, and the few glimpses she had caught of Tyler while he spoke with Caleb and Pogue. Even now, she could feel her cheeks flush when she envisioned his shirtless form and that well-defined physique, particularly the chiseled abs that disappeared beneath the waistband of—

"But," her mother jarred her out of her thoughts, "you know your own heart, Lily, and I know you'll handle it whatever way you think is best."

She was still blushing, but even greater was the warmth that continued to grow beneath her chest, even after her thoughts had been focused on him.

"Well listen, I need to get going, sweetheart. Marie's coming over in about twenty minutes, and I need to make sure I straighten up the living room before she gets here."

With a slight jerk of the head, Lily finally seemed to snap out of her inability to speak. "Okay."

"I'll give Dr. Ballinger a call tomorrow. In the meantime, you keep taking care of yourself, okay?"

"I will."

"Hey," she could almost feel her smile through the phone, "you know I love you, right?"

She smiled weakly. "Yeah. Love you, too."

"Give your grandparents my love when you see them this weekend."

"I will. Bye, Mom."

"Bye-bye, sweetheart."

Ending the call, Lily rested back against the headboard once again, her mother's words still echoing in her mind. _Maybe it's time to give him a break…You always used to sound so happy whenever you talked about him._

Gently sighing, she glanced over at the nearby window. Still raining, but now a soft pattering compared to the downpour that was going on earlier. Amazingly enough, watching and hearing it dredged up even more memories of Tyler: of how he'd offer to share his umbrella with her on days when she'd forgotten hers, the two of them huddling close as they navigated across campus to get to their classes in the various buildings. The way he'd always smile at her when she thanked him…

The barest of smiles tugged at her own lips. Her pulse raced a little faster the longer she thought of him, that pleasant warmth spreading to her nerves and making her fingertips tingle sweetly. For a brief moment, she wondered if the voice would try to cut her thoughts short, try to convince her that he wasn't worth her time…but blessedly, there was none of that. It could have been her imagination, but just sitting there on her bed, she could have sworn that she felt a minute sense of strength returning to her heart—

A sudden knock had her snapping her head towards the door, thoughts of Tyler vanishing from her mind. Already in her sleepwear for the night, she wasn't exactly up for entertaining anyone at the moment. It may have been Friday night, but she wanted to take advantage of the weekend and get some sufficient rest. With a sigh, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood, the hardwood floor cool beneath her bare feet as she crossed the room. Reaching for the knob, Lily opened the door, her eyes widening at who was standing on the other side.

She blinked, her hand grasping the edge of the door. "Uh…hi."

The pretty blonde in the hallway gave her a small but genuine smile. "Hi." A pause. "You probably don't know me, but—"

"You're Sarah," Lily finished for her, automatically recognizing the senior girl. "Sarah Wenham. Caleb's girlfriend."

Sarah lips parted to speak, but then she hesitated, her smile fading just a touch before exhaling audibly. "Yeah."

Her eyes had taken on such a faraway look all of a sudden, which had Lily's brow furrowing slightly. "Are you…"

But before she could finish her question, Sarah said, "Listen, do you mind if I come in? I'd really like to talk to you."


	5. After the Rain

_**AN: I apologize for the long wait on this update, but I had several things occur in the past few months that caused delays on other stories that demanded my attention first. Hopefully, this makes up for that long wait. Thank you. :)**_

* * *

Whispering Hills. One of the oldest cemeteries in existence from the original thirteen colonies, and the largest located within Ipswich's city limits. A rather impressive expanse of rolling hills and well-maintained grasses, and a varied collection of headstones, great and small, some clearly more aged than others. A final resting place for at least thirteen generations of family, friends, loved ones…

And in September, it had become the final resting place of William Danvers III.

Caleb sighed deeply, hardly hearing the sprinkling rain as it pelted softly upon his umbrella. He'd lost track of how long he'd been standing out here in darkness amongst the decorative headstones—some more massive and intricately carved than others—staring wordlessly at one large marker in particular signifying his father's grave. Once again, he re-read the black lettering that had been etched into the smooth, gray stone:

 _ **William Arthur Danvers III**_

 _ **1962-2006**_

 _ **Beloved Husband & Father**_

" _ **In our silence, let us be free…"**_

Free? His mind scoffed. No. The Sons of Ipswich were never free; never had been free. They were doomed to inherit the Power and become _slaves_ to it, their adult lives shackled to an intoxicating force that would ultimately drain the life from them at an accelerated rate. Aging them. Weakening them. Leading to their untimely deaths. Surrounding him were numerous stones bearing the names Garwin; Simms; Parry; many of them previous Sons who had suffered similar fates. Some had been able to successfully balance their willpower against their desire to use, while others like his father…

Caleb closed his eyes, his jaws clenching together beneath his cheeks. His father. In his prime, he'd been one of the most powerful Sons of his generation, only to be reduced to a decrepit shell of a man who could do little more than blink for himself. Beneath that withered exterior, however, there still lingered an extraordinary Power, something Caleb had always been able to detect behind those impossibly bright blue eyes. Power William simply couldn't resist, no matter how much physical pain it brought him, or how much heartache it caused his family. Selfishly continuing to use and use while his wife and child could do little more than watch him gradually waste away.

He'd felt it, though; felt the very moment his father had willed him his Power following his Ascension. Felt it fusing with his own newly matured powers and rushing through his veins with such intoxicating furor, giving him the strength he needed to cast finally Chase Collins into whatever fiery hell he'd been vanquished to. Such magnified Power that now belonged to him at the cost of his father's life. An act of self-sacrifice to save his only son from death. Proof that his father had loved him more than his powers by relinquishing them to him. Even now, he could feel the force of it pulsing through him, making his fingers itch with the need to simply _use…_

Opening his eyes, he fixed the engraving of his father's name with an icy glare. "I hate you," he whispered hoarsely. Adamantly. Neither his heart nor mind denying how much he truly believed in those words.

There was no response from William Danvers, nor did he expect one. Feeling himself sneer slightly, Caleb turned and walked away, not sparing his father's headstone another glance as he made his way back to the stone pathway in the gentle rain.

* * *

Lily drew in a long breath, releasing it slowly through parted lips as she tried to fathom everything Sarah had just revealed to her in the past half hour. "Warlocks," she repeated from her account.

"Trust me: I had a hard time believing it myself at first," Sarah sighed from the opposite bed, "but I saw Caleb's dad with my own eyes, and I've seen what these guys are capable of. This is real, Lily; I promise you I'm not making it up."

Lowering her eyes, she wrung her hands in her lap. The Sons of Ipswich…a coven of warlocks? Descended from those who'd escaped persecution during the Salem Witch Trials? While her mind was swimming with so much doubt and uncertainty, she was also aware that Sarah had never looked away from her eyes—not even once—during their entire conversation. It was a trait that compelled her to keep listening, regardless of how outrageous her claims might be. "And…Tyler has this kind of power, too?"

"Yes. He hasn't Ascended yet, but there are things he can do—that all of them can do with their powers that I just can't explain."

She swallowed hard. Sarah had mentioned that particular word several times: Ascension. When their powers peaked and then gradually drained them of life as they continued to use, resulting in that gut-wrenching description she'd given of Caleb's father. Her heart clenched painfully as she thought about Tyler. "Umm…" She licked her lips. "If…what you're saying is true," the words seemed to come so slowly as she lifted her eyes to hers, "then what you said happened to Caleb's dad…that same thing is going to eventually happen to Tyler?"

"That's hard to say. Caleb said some become more addicted to it than others, so it's a crapshoot as to how much it will impact him after he turns eighteen."

This time, it was Sarah who cast her gaze downward, and Lily's brow furrowed when she detected the sadness emanating from her. Obviously, there was more going on between her and Caleb than she was willing to share, but she didn't feel it was her place to press for details on such a matter.

Then she gave her head a shake. "I have something for you," she turned to rummage through her bag.

"For me?"

"Yeah," she said, pulling out what appeared to be an old, leather-bound book from its confines. "I borrowed this from the school library, and…well, here," she handed the book to her. "It'll give you some more insight into what I've been telling you about."

Lily accepted it from her, reading the title that was engraved in old-English font on the cover. _Chronicles of Paganism: The Rise of the Witch_. She blinked. Oh…

"I bookmarked chapter eight for you; that one's specifically about the witches of Ipswich, and you get a little more background information on the boys' families. It's how I started to figure some things out about Caleb before he finally told me everything."

She could feel a slight prickling in the back of her mind as she continued to stare at the worn title, and then a sudden, strange coldness seemed to waft through her chest, as if wanting to deter her from looking. "I, um…I'm not sure I can believe all this…"

"Nor was I expecting you to," she said, zipping her bag closed, "which is why I think it would help if you talked to Tyler about it."

Lily lifted her head at that, feeling the rising warmth in her chest overpower the cold. "Can he prove the things that you've told me?"

Smiling gently, she said, "I know he'd like the chance to; he really misses spending time with you, Lily."

She flushed nervously, lowering her eyes once more. So do I, she thought.

"I'm still getting to know the kind of person Tyler is, but what I do already know is how much he cares about you. That's been obvious ever since I first heard him talk about you."

The blush in her cheeks intensified, but in a way that had her smiling inwardly. "I care about him, too," she said, looking up at her again.

"And he's not the only one who's looking out for you. I take it you've noticed all four of the guys have been keeping a close eye on you lately?"

She pulled in a breath, recalling very clearly what had taken place in the library earlier that day. "Yeah, I have."

Sarah also nodded. "There's a reason for that. I've heard a little bit about what's been going on at swim practices lately, and it sounds like they're all concerned about what's happening to you. Hell, even _I'm_ getting concerned the more I hear about it."

She sighed. "Take a number."

"Is everything okay, Lily?"

Subtlety shaking her head, she told her, "So far, all my tests have come back negative, and my doctors say I'm perfectly healthy, but…"

"You're not convinced."

"No," she said quickly. "Mom's going to set up an appointment for an MRI next to see if there's something going on neurologically. This isn't normal for me, and there just has to be some kind of answer to all this."

Sarah's perfect eyebrows arched. "Does Tyler know about any of this?"

She hesitated, but then said, "No."

"Maybe it's about time he did. He would want to know what's going on with you health-wise, even if you are still looking for answers. I know how worried he is about you."

The warmth billowed through her chest again. And God, did she ever want to confide in him about all this. She had so much she wanted to…needed to tell him…

"Listen," Sarah said, recapturing her attention, "Tyler never meant to hurt you the night of Fall Fest; I swear. He was doing Caleb a huge favor by acting as one of my protectors, and with everything that happened that week, the fact that he needed to cancel your date really did slip his mind. Believe me: he knows how badly he screwed up with you that night, and he's regretted it ever since."

Despite her mind wanting to remind her of the humiliation she'd felt at the dance, Lily continued to focus on the warmth that seemed to now be spreading through her veins. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Those boys…they really are like brothers, and they will stop at nothing to protect each other. It's how their families have always operated, but they'll also do the same thing for those they care about. I mean, they all stepped up when they knew I needed protection," she smiled softly, "and now I see them doing the same for you. Don't be afraid to take them up on that offer, Lily. They'd do anything for Tyler, and that includes looking out for you."

Protection, her mind echoed, and then she slowly started to frown as her thoughts lingered on that one word. Her fingers tightened on the book. "Chase Collins really tried to kill you?"

Sarah's own smile disappeared, a hardness seeming to overcome her features. "He did. He threatened to kill me and everyone else Caleb loves if he refused to will him his Power, and he ended up using me to blackmail him into a final showdown."

For a moment, Lily held her breath. Chase a warlock, too? She'd hardly known the guy, but had seen him at swim practices a few times during that first week of school. Then his face was everywhere she turned when his "Missing Person" flyers were plastered all around campus the following week, seeking any possible information as to his whereabouts. Some had said that he'd taken his parent's money and ran off to the West Coast; others claimed he'd committed suicide by driving his car off the Old Dell cliffs. For her part, though, Lily had never speculated about what had happened to him, but she was nonetheless shocked to hear that he'd potentially tried to kill one of Tyler's best friends. It shocked her even more to find out that Tyler's life could have also been at risk if Caleb had refused to cooperate with his wishes. "Whatever did happen to Chase that night?"

"The barn completely burned down with him inside of it," she said very matter-of-factly.

Her stomach churned slightly; there'd been absolutely no trace of remorse in the elder girl's voice. "But they never found his body?"

Sarah shook her head. "Like I said, they swept the entire area five times, but never found him. Caleb couldn't detect any sign of him, either, and I'd trust his judgment on that more than anyone else's." She sighed quietly, then lifted her chin ever-so-slightly. "As far as I can tell, he's gone for good."

Hearing a sudden bark of laughter, Lily snapped her head to the right, her wide eyes searching the wall beside her, but seeing nothing more than her dresser and various pictures. She could have sworn…

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked.

"Did…you hear that?" She nearly whispered.

"Hear what?"

She stared at the wall only a few more seconds before heaving a resigned sigh. "Never mind," she turned back to her. "Guess it's just a lot on my mind right now…"

"I don't doubt that; it was a lot for me to throw at you," she moved to stand. "And that being said, I should probably get going."

Lily mouthed the word "Oh," though didn't quite say it out loud.

"I'm sorry to suddenly show up the way that I did," she shouldered her bag, "but I really wanted a chance to—"

"No," Lily stood as well, causing Sarah to lock eyes with her. She really was very pretty, but what stood out to her most was the genuine concern she could see emanating from her blue eyes. Despite this being the first time they'd ever spoken, it was touching to know that she'd already been harboring a degree of worry for her from afar. Clutching the book in her arm, she said, "I appreciate everything you had to say tonight, so thank you, Sarah." She finally gave a faint smile. "It was nice to finally meet you."

She smiled brightly, tucking a stray tress of blonde hair behind her ear. "Likewise. Oh, and if you ever need anything, or just need a female perspective, feel free to give our room a call. Kate and I are in A-Building, 214."

No surprise there. Most of Spenser's seniors—including Tyler—were housed in the A-dorm. "I'll write it down," she assured, then really felt the weight of the book against her arm as a thought occurred to her. "You said Chase was adopted. What was his ancestral name again?"

"Putnam," she answered, then inclined her head toward the book, "and there's more than enough mention of him in there, so read that section carefully."

Please do. The thought caused Lily's pulse to race briefly, as she was once again unsure if the voice she'd heard inside her head was her own, or… "I will," she promised, pushing it aside as she walked with Sarah to the door.

"Talk to Tyler, okay?" Sarah encouraged one last time as she opened the door. "I know he'd love to hear from you."

Lily smiled softly. "I will. Bye, Sarah."

"Have a good one," she stepped out into the hall. "And hey, call me soon and let me know how you're doing, okay? Tyler's not the only worrywart you have to deal with."

* * *

A nuisance. An absolute _nuisance!_ That's what Sarah Wenham was to him, particularly now. The only useful purpose she'd ever served was as leverage on the night of Caleb's Ascension, a strategy that had nearly worked…at least until Caleb had acquired his father's Power instead. It was no God damn wonder Caleb had managed to overpower him that night. Had it not been for his interference, he _would_ have been the victor that night.

And now, here his precious little girlfriend was again, complicating things even further for him by making Lily aware of what the Sons of Ipswich really were.

Meddlesome little bitch, Chase thought with a sneer.

At the same time, however…

He watched as Lily closed the door behind her, drifting aside so she wouldn't detect his cold presence as she made her way back over to her bed. Her eyes had been riveted on that book the entire time, even as she sat down and curled her legs beneath her, and he could still feel the chaotic swirl of thoughts inside her mind. Confusion; disbelief; uncertainty; fear; they were all fighting for dominance as she wondered how much of Sarah's story she should actually believe.

But there was also that tiny sliver of hope he'd sensed deep within the recesses of her heart, one that seemed to grow and mildly revive her every time the image of Tyler entered her thoughts. And the more she focused on him, the stronger that feeling became, and he was feeling the effects of it as well. Perhaps Sarah's interference hadn't been such a bad thing after all.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, reveling in the sensation that surged through his veins, a feeling that became stronger as he drew nearer to her side.

He saw her lick her lips as she opened to the page Sarah had bookmarked for her, coming to hover just over her right shoulder. The first page of chapter eight— _The Witches of Ipswich_ —displayed several paragraphs of text, as well as a small portrait of John Putnam, and he had to smile to himself.

 _Notice any family resemblance?_ He thought to her, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. Lily briefly closed her eyes as a shiver ran through her, pulling in a breath at the same time as Chase. The longer he maintained contact with her, the more the sensation intensified beneath his palm, and he, too, couldn't resist licking his lips as it continued to rush through him.

But then his brow furrowed when he noticed a slight shift in her thoughts. Tyler was still prominent, of course, but there was also a lingering curiosity about the one who'd endangered him and the other Sons. The one who'd vanished without a trace. Chase's name…it was in her thoughts as she opened her eyes and proceeded to read on from the pages in front of her.

Narrowing his eyes, Chase glanced over at her, seeing how engrossed Lily was with her reading. After watching her like that for several seconds, he couldn't stop his lips from curling into a leering grin. _So, that's how you want to play?_ He thought, maneuvering himself so that he was flush against her from behind, bringing his hand to cover her collarbone, which elicited a sudden gasp from her. Hearing this had him chuckling darkly, knowing that the cold sensation seizing her chest was making her heart race. His grin widened automatically, even as she brought a hand to hover over his. _Go ahead: try to learn everything you can about me_ , he hissed in challenge, his ghostly fingers tightening on her chest as he bent close to her ear. _I dare you._

Her heart still pounded as a trembling breath left her lips, the delicate muscles of her throat moving as she swallowed thickly. It wasn't long before she opened her eyes again, her hand lowering slowly as she returned her attention to the book in her lap. Chase let his hand drift upward to stroke his thumb over the hollow of her neck, amused at how determined she was to concentrate on her reading.

* * *

Thankfully, it appeared to have stopped raining when she glanced out one of the hallway windows. Like all the other dorms at Spenser, C-Building had five floors, and Sarah descended the final flight of stairs as she wrapped her scarf around her neck. She was glad she'd finally gotten a chance to meet Lily, even if it wasn't under the most pleasant of circumstances. Intelligent and well-spoken, she could understand why Tyler was so taken with her, not to mention why he was so concerned for her well-being. It had been amazing to see how much Tyler had grown in those few short weeks alone, and she had nothing but hope in heart for—

As she pushed the main door open, Sarah stopped dead in her tracks. Waiting in the dark at the foot of the stairs was Caleb, who looked up from where he leaned against the railing as she'd emerged from the building. For a moment, Sarah stopped breathing, practically feeling her heart leap into her throat.

His eyes softened as he stood tall. "Hey."

She dug the fingernails of one hand into her palm. _God_ , he was so handsome. But then with a shake of her head, she inhaled sharply, and sighed. "Hi."

"You talked to Lily?"

She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "I did, yeah. We'll just see what happens from here," she ducked her eyes for a moment before looking up at him again.

His eyes were riveted on hers, and she could see the gratitude radiating from his features. "Thank you."

I did it for you, her mind whispered, but she didn't dare tell him that. "You're welcome," was all she said. Then became quiet as she dwelled on something he'd mentioned to her earlier. "You really think someone might be using Power against her?"

She saw his shoulders rise and fall as he sighed. "I have my suspicions," he said succinctly.

Sarah bit down on her lower lip, her own worries multiplying at his vague response. If it _was_ Power that was being used…then who was the culprit behind these attacks on Lily?

"Listen," he said, coming closer, "I know this is pretty useless now," he indicated the umbrella in his hand, "but can I walk you back to your dorm?"

She sighed quietly, feeling torn as her mind gave one answer, but her heart another. Christ, why does this have to be so hard right now?

"Sarah," Caleb pressed gently, those mahogany orbs so striking even in the dark. "Please."

It was then that an overwhelming sense of longing pierced her heart, her eyes saddening as she thought about all that had occurred between them in such a short time. In this moment, though, all she wanted to do was forget. Tucking another errant strand of hair behind her ear, she finally breathed, "Alright."

The way his face lit up with his soft smile caused her pulse to speed up familiarly. Coming down the granite steps, Sarah let Caleb fall into step beside her, but the fact that he didn't even try to hold her hand hardly went unnoticed. Neither of them spoke another word as they followed the winding walkway that led to the A-dorm on the far side of campus.


	6. Second Chances

Her heart was thrumming steadily beneath his palm as Chase floated above her sleeping form, his face so close to hers as her shuddering breaths caused her chest to quake gently. That pleasant warmth was still spreading through his limbs with the same vigor as it had the previous night, continuing to banish the lingering traces of pain from his nerves as it healed him from the inside-out. Incredible that despite being at the literal mercy of his fingertips, she somehow still had strength enough to provide him with what he needed. Every. Single. Time.

For the fifth time, he sighed deeply in relief, never taking his eyes off Lily's face as he kept his hand pressed to her skin. Taking. Power alive in his pores and becoming stronger with every use. Her head tilted further back onto her pillow, causing her chin to tilt up and the long curve of her neck to be exposed. Seeing this, he felt something stir within his chest. What was it about watching her sleep like this that had him so damn transfixed? Had him narrowing his eyes as he memorized every detail of her face, from the slight furrow of her brow, to the way her mouth had fallen open with her rhythmic breathing?

 _What is it, huh?_ He grazed the knuckles of his other hand over her cheek, not surprised when she turned away from the chill of his touch. _What can you tell me?_

The barest of gasps passed her lips, and he could detect the mild shivers that were beginning to wrack her body.

 _Why…_

His focus wavered when he heard her breathless voice in his head again.

… _are you doing this?_

Clenching his teeth, Chase kept his gaze fixed on her, maintaining his hypnotic hold despite that bothersome little interruption. Once again, she'd managed to penetrate his own thoughts in an attempt to protest his actions, and he couldn't help but speculate as to the potential reason behind these sudden shimmers of strength.

 _Tyler…_

He arched a brow at the murmur in her thoughts. _Shall I let you have him, then?_ He inquired of her, cupping her cheek with his hand. Even though she tried to turn her head away from his touch, he held fast. _Hush now, lovely_ , he insisted, and she gradually became still beneath him. _None of that_.

Her breaths were still trembling as his thumb stroked her cheek, and he delved into her thoughts yet again to find her a helpless prisoner in that faceless figure's embrace. _Let's just see what happens_ , he thought, summoning his will to change the vision within her mind. The figure's dark, blank face began to morph into something more discernible, more familiar, and soon enough, it was the image of Tyler holding her to his bare chest from behind. Lifting a hand to cup her jaw, Tyler guided her face back to his, and when she opened her eyes, her entire face seemed to light up with recognition.

Lily gave another soft, gasping breath, and Chase felt the quickening of her heart beneath his palm. A smile crept across his lips. _'Atta girl_ , he praised, sensing the heightening of her energy just before he drew more into himself. The warmth wafted right through him, making him sigh triumphantly as he decided to give her a little more, this time making the vision of Tyler bend down to capture her lips with his.

This time, the surge of heat in his veins had his mouth falling open as he gave a shuddering exhale of his own. _Oh…yeah…_

Lily made a gentle sound in the back of her throat, and Chase looked down at her, seeing the peace that had unexpectedly come over her features…save for that faintest hint of a furrow still in her brow as he remained latched onto her. Then she sighed, her head rolling to one side as she settled back into deep sleep. He watched her closely, tilting his head as he continued to study her face, and then he glanced into her mind again, seeing that she was holding on to that image of Tyler kissing her.

He released a slow breath through his nostrils. _Maybe_ …he thought absently, letting his fingers caress her cheek. He watched her react predictably to his touch, then proceeded to further manipulate the image in her mind in order to feel the surge of energy through his form once more.

* * *

Though there was still that familiar sense of fatigue hanging over her the following morning, Lily nonetheless felt herself smile. Her dreams…they were more pleasant last night than they had been in weeks, and as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, Tyler's handsome face remained the most prominent image in her mind. She didn't want to jinx it, but somehow, she really did seem to feel better whenever she kept him in her thoughts lately.

Maybe her heart was heeding the advice both Sarah and her mother had given her; maybe she finally _was_ ready to give him a second chance.

At the same time, however, she held her breath, waiting for any inkling of doubt from that sinister voice…

There was nothing. She sighed; thank God for that.

Grabbing her grey cardigan from the back of her desk chair, she quickly slipped it over her shoulders. Normally on weekends, she didn't bother to shower until after she'd gone down for breakfast, which was only served until eleven in Spenser's cafeteria. Since it was only a quarter past eight, she had plenty of time to get down there and eat. Usually, Tyler was notorious for sleeping in late on Saturdays, but as she headed for the door, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, she'd see him down there—

As soon as she opened the door, she looked down, gasping softly at what she found waiting for her: a pink carnation laying atop a small envelope, and, behind those, a small bottle of chocolate milk. There was no stopping her smile as she bent down, picking up the bottle first. Tyler was very aware of her fondness for chocolate milk, which she often touted as the most perfect of all beverages, so she knew it could have only been from him. Laughing softly, she shook her head, picking up the flower and envelope in her other hand. Briefly inhaling the subtlety sweet scent of the carnation, she situated the items in her hands so she could tear open the envelope, and finding the small card inside, her eyes read the three words that were written in Tyler's penmanship.

 _Dinner tonight. Please?_

A gentle flush rose to her cheeks as her heart began to race. Tyler asking her on a date…again. No doubt to make up for what had occurred last time. But instead of giving in to her uncertainties, the notion of being alone with him had her smiling inwardly as a great warmth began to rise within her chest.

Tyler, her mind whispered. What time must he have gotten up to make sure she'd find this at just the right moment…?

A calmness descended upon her as she stepped back into her dorm. Setting everything down on her desk, she took out her phone, found his number, and was still smiling softly as she texted a single word.

 _Yes._

* * *

 _Yes._ Even hours later, Tyler was still staring at the text on his screen.

Yes. Finally, she'd told him _yes._ It was incredible how three letters could drastically change his mood, and it was the first time he'd felt something close to what he could consider happiness in at least a month.

Looking up once more, his eyes scanned the area, checking for any signs of Lily's approach. He'd asked her to meet him in front of the bell tower at six, and he'd purposely arrived an hour ahead of time. He wanted to see her as she approached, to observe her from his spot behind one of the campus' tall oaks before he made his presence known. Stupid, maybe, but it wasn't any stupider than what he'd accidentally pulled on her the night of the dance. All that mattered was that she was coming, and they were going to have their first official date.

He glanced at the time in the upper corner of the screen: 5:54. Six minutes until their meeting time, and the sky continued to grow darker overhead. Another sign that they were transitioning further into the month of October, aside from the ever-cooling temperatures. He released a breath through his nostrils. Everything was all set for tonight, and he hoped everything would go smoothly. Unlike Caleb or Pogue, he wasn't quite as seasoned a pro in the realm of dating, but that was a personal choice on his part. The idea of serial dating had never held much appeal to him; no, he preferred to wait until the right one came along…

When he looked up again, Lily was coming down the walk past the gymnasium, and his heart skipped a beat. God, he loved it when she wore her hair like that: all gathered to one side so that it draped over her shoulder, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. It wasn't a style she often wore, and seeing it like that now had him biting the inside of his cheek. She really was beautiful, and even as she came to a stop in front of the bell tower steps, Tyler was content to stand back and admire her from afar for just a moment longer. Just beneath the hem of her jacket, he could see that she was wearing her favorite denim skirt—the one with the fleur-de-lis patch on it—and what she affectionately referred to as her athletic Mary Jane's. It suited her. Seeing her glance at her watch and then once more at her surroundings, he pocketed his phone, took a deep breath, and emerged from his hiding spot.

Seeing him from the corner of her eye, Lily turned to him and smiled, causing his pulse to race. She hadn't smiled at him like that in far too long. As he approached, he reached out with his Power, checking for any possible signs of malicious activity surrounding her, but he detected nothing out of the ordinary. For that, he was silently grateful. Closing the distance between them, he smiled softly and presented her with another pink carnation that he'd been hiding behind his back.

"Consider this a fool's apology for ever hurting you," he said.

She blushed sweetly, her smile becoming just a bit shier as she accepted the flower from him. "Hey, Tyler."

"Hey," he replied. There were still evidence of dark circles under her eyes, but that hardly took away from her beauty. "You look great."

Her blush deepened. "Thank you."

There was a beat of quiet. Then he sighed. "Listen, I—"

"Before you say—" She started to say at the same time.

Pausing, they both laughed gently.

"Go ahead," he told her.

She gave him an appreciative look. "I just want to say that…" She looked down at the carnation as she twirled the stem between her fingers. "I really haven't been myself lately, which is why I kept finding reasons to avoid you whenever you wanted to talk. It just seemed like every time I was ready to say something, my mind just…" Her shoulders appeared to tense slightly, but then she relaxed as she exhaled, lifting her blue eyes to meet his again. "I really have wanted to talk to you. For quite some time."

Hearing her say this was like a wave of relief washing over him. "I've been worried about you."

"I know."

"I really am sorry, Lily..."

She very calmly lifted a hand. "From the sounds of it…you might have had a good reason for not being there that night."

He blinked, angling his head slightly. "Caleb mention something to you about that?"

"Sarah, actually."

His eyebrows went up at that. Sarah had spoken to her about that night?

Lily was biting down on her lower lip. "There was, um…a lot that she told me. About you; about the other guys. About there being more to your family's history than the legends that…" She trailed off when he reached out to cup the back of one of her hands with his, hearing her softly shudder as she inhaled at the contact. Her eyes never left his, and her voice was so much quieter when she spoke again. "I have a lot of questions to ask you, Tyler."

"About what we are."

This time, it was she who blinked, which only confirmed his suspicions about what Sarah had revealed her. "I'm not sure what to believe, but…is there some validity to what she said?"

He thought about that for a moment, his eyes still searching hers. The next thing he knew, the great bell in the tower above began signifying the six o'clock hour, and he felt a flutter of inspiration deep within his stomach. "Come with me for a minute?"

"Where?"

He smiled inwardly, placing an encouraging hand on her shoulder. "Come on. There's something I want to show you," he said, guiding her around to the far side of the bell tower. As they came to the lone door there, though, Lily halted in her steps, prompting him to turn back. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"' _Maintenance Only_ ,'" she pointed to the sign displayed on the door. "We're not allowed in there."

He shook his head. "Their rounds end by five on weekends; no one will know we're here."

She arched a brow at him. "So you've done this before?"

That inward smile of his turned into a genuine one. Were Reid present, he might ask her where her sense of adventure was, but unlike them, Lily was not a natural when it came to being a rule-breaker. In truth, it was one of the many traits he admired about her. He offered his hand to her. "Trust me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

He had to smile respectfully at her inquiry. Regardless of how much he wanted her to follow, he would never coerce her into doing anything against her will. Ever. "Always."

Her eyes remaining locked with his, but then she gave him the barest of smirks as she placed her warm hand in his.

He grinned, turning so she couldn't see his eyes as he summoned his Power, and willed the door open before leading her inside. The wooden steps of the narrow staircase creaked beneath their feet with every step they took. The bell tower was old, but not nearly as old as the town of Ipswich itself. It had been built back in 1850, when Spenser was still a fledgling school at the time, a sturdy ten-story structure at the heart of campus. Over the years, it had been restored and well-maintained, but still retained the quaint charm of its original design. It made the ten-flight climb feel as though they were ascending to another level in time.

"Where exactly are we going?" Lily asked behind him.

He glanced back down at her with a grin. "Up."

"I get that, smart-ass, but where to?"

There was something so endearing about hearing her swear, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You'll see."

They continued up the last two flights of stairs, and soon enough, Tyler began to emerge in the tower's belfry, one that had sufficient room for the two of them. "I come up here to get away sometimes," he told her as he guided her the rest of the way in, "get away from the guys; clear my head for a bit."

"Never thought I'd hear you say you actually need to get away from the guys once in a while."

He chuckled. "We all need our space," he glanced up at the large bell overhead. "Just have to be careful with my timing."

"I can imagine," she commented, also looking at the bell. Then she happened to see the view. "Oh, wow," she breathed, walking over and placing her hands on the stone railing.

"Yeah," he said, seeing how pretty her hair was from behind before he came to stand beside her. Even as sunlight disappeared, it was an impressive sight, especially with the leaves turning colors this time of year. The roofs of all the dorms and administration buildings were visible from up here, and every so often, a pedestrian would traverse the sidewalks below. "You get one of the best views of campus up here. And if you look further out there," he pointed to the east, "you can see part of Crescent Lake. See?"

"Yeah," she breathed, seemingly transfixed by what she saw. He could have watched her like that all night. Lily held such a vast fascination for so many simple things in life, a notion that had him appreciating so much more around him ever since they first became friends. Especially the sunsets he'd seen up in this very belfry since then. A gentle breeze passed through the arches of the belfry, causing a few loose tresses of her brown hair to dance around her face. It was taking every fiber in his body not to reach out and touch her neck, her hair…

"I can see why you prefer your solitude sometimes," she said.

"But not from you," he admitted quietly, feeling his stomach stir pleasantly when she turned to meet his eyes again. "Never from you.

She remained quiet for quite some time, and eventually, an ironic little smile played at her lips. "So was that your plan? Bring me up here so I'd be distracted from the questions I wanted to ask you?"

His gaze never left hers, not even as he turned to lean back against that stone railing. "No," he answered, bracing his palms upon the cool edge. "You just haven't asked me any questions yet."

She stared, then her faint smile returned. "I haven't, have I?" Then she sighed, looking down at the carnation in her hands. "I'm just…not sure how to word this without…without sounding crazy to myself."

The innocence in her voice; it made him feel protective of her heart all over again, made him realize how long he'd ached to tell her his deepest, darkest secrets…

Glancing down at the world below, he checked for any possible witnesses, but for the time being, there wasn't anyone in the immediate vicinity. He closed his eyes, breathing the cool air of approaching night into his lungs. "Guess I'll have to prove you wrong on that one," he said, turning to place a foot on the railing.

"Tyler…?" She questioned as he hoisted himself up, and he didn't miss the nervous inflection in her voice.

Standing carefully to his full height, he braced a hand on the overhead archway and looked down at her. Lifting his brows, he asked, "Trust me, Lily?"

She was hesitant, he could see that in those gorgeous blue eyes of hers, but he tried to convey as much reassurance to her as possible as they stood there together in silence. His patience was rewarded eventually when he saw her shoulders relax on an exhale, her eyes still holding his as she whispered one word. "Yes."

At this, he smiled gently, keeping his gaze locked with hers as he summoned his Power and let his eyes morph right in front of her. Hearing her sharp gasp, he calmly stepped off the edge of the railing.


End file.
